Fire and Ice Part 1
by Cassiem101
Summary: A zutara fanfiction
1. Chapter 1

"No lightning today? What's the matter, afraid I'll redirect it?" Zuko yelled at Azula.

"I'll show you lightning!" Azula screamed back.

Katara stood off to one side, tense. Zuko was risking his life for her; it didn't seem right. Chivalrous, sure, but not right. She let her mind wander, back to all the times she had caught Zuko looking her up and down. When he had seen her watching him, he has stopped. Aang had noticed once or twice; he was less than pleased.

But the strange thing was, she hadn't minded.

All of a sudden she focused again as Azula spread the lightning around herself. She pointed her fingers- at Katara.

Zuko's eyes widened as he saw the bolt go flashing towards Katara. He couldn't let this happen! Not to her! He ran forward, getting ready to take the lightning inside himself to save her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her beautiful, bewildered face.

And then he leapt.

The lightning struck him in the middle of his chest. He felt pain flood through his veins. It was worse than the time he had got his scar, a million times worse. His nerves felt like they were bursting.

All to save her.

Katara looked on, horrified. She couldn't believe her eyes as Zuko crashed to the ground in front of her. What had he done? He groaned and lay out on the ground, his hand on his wound.

"Zuko!" Katara screamed. She was running towards him, something inside of her driving her towards him. She didn't know what it was. She ran, forgetting all about Azula. All she could think about was Zuko.

A blue lightning bolt crashed in front of her. Azula started to laugh maniacally. She was crazy, Katara knew that much.

Zuko groaned and rolled onto his front. Katara started running towards him again, only to be stopped by a plume of blue fire. She skidded to a stop and put her hands up. Azula, continuing to laugh, shot lightning at Katara again.

Zuko raised himself onto one arm and reached out to Katara. She couldn't protect herself against Azula. Zuko Nobody could. Pain seared through him as he groaned and let his hand drop. He felt so faint...

Katara rolled out of the way of the next lightning bolt. Azula flew onto a rooftop and pulled the lightning around her in a circle, then shot it at Katara. Katara, trusting her instincts, yanked some water out of the pool next to her. She quickly made a shield as the lightning came crashing towards her, then ran behind a pole and hid as Azula shot fire towards her. She fell forward onto a grate. Looking beneath her hands she saw water flowing past. Water! She looked up. Hanging on a pole in front of her were some chains. Chains! Gathering a plan in her head, she grabbed them.

Katara stood on the other side of the water grate as Azula walked menacingly toward her. Katara made several water-whips and shot them at her. Just as expected, Azula rolled forward... onto the grate. She reached forward to shoot lightning, but Katara brought up the water from the grate and froze them both.

The melted the water around her and tied Azula to the grate. That was one less thing to worry about then. She bought the water down again and, leaving Azula to gasp for air, ran towards Zuko.

Kneeling beside him, Katara put her hands underneath his chest and rolled him over. She could feel his heartbeat under her hands. He was very heavy, but it felt good just to know he was still alive. Katara drew some water from her holder and, very gently, placed her hands on Zuko's wound. He groaned, and then relaxed. He was going to live.

Katara started crying; she couldn't help it. He was alive! Some joyous part of her soul was dancing, and in her mind, she was dancing too.

"Thank you Katara." He whispered. His voice, saying her name, sent chills down her body. She briefly thought of Aang. Pushing that thought out of her head, she put her hands behind Zuko's head, lifted it, and bent down to kiss it.

It was short and very, very sweet. His lips burned; her lips were ice. A perfect combination. When she pulled away, she whispered, "I think I'm the one who should be thanking you."

He reached up with his free hand and stroked her hair, running his fingers through it. She looked at him with her brilliant, wide blue eyes, and he felt something take over his body and leave his mind to sit back and enjoy.

He half sat up, and ignoring the pain in his chest, leant forward and kissed her again. Her eyes, startled now, fluttered and then shut. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, something she had always wanted to do. It was exactly as she imagined it would be, thick and soft.

His hand clasped her back and puller her closer to him. She was cold; it felt like she would get hypothermia when he went to the North Pole if she was this temperature now. To her, he felt hot. She wondered how he didn't burn up here.

Illicit thoughts of her and Zuko fluttered through her mind; some of them she quite liked. But not here. Not now. Just live in the moment.

The pain overcame Zuko and he lay down again, breathing heavily. Katara healed him again and then helped him up. With her arm around his waist and his around her shoulders, they walked over to where Azula was kneeling. She was crying. Zuko looked at her and remembered when he was a child; she had tripped him and then laughed at him when he cried. But he would be the better person and not laugh now. It was rather sad, actually, to see the demise of such a talented firebender.

Suddenly, another wave of pain overcame Zuko and he collapsed. Katara struggled to keep him from hitting his head on the ground, when all of a sudden, fire nation guards and officials ran into the yard. They kneeled before Katara. She was confused until she looked down at Zuko in her arms and realised. He was firelord now.

**Author's note: Well, hey! This is the first part of a many part series. I'll be uploading it here, as it is already on my DA [**.com/]. **Enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Um- could someone please help me?" She said as she nearly dropped Zuko again. Immediately two fire nation officials ran up with a stretcher and helped her push Zuko onto it. They hurried into the palace and rushed him into a bedroom.

Katara looked around her with wonder. It had Fire Nation insignia everywhere and a large bed in the middle of the room. On the mantle-piece was a framed photo of a woman, smiling and hugging a young Zuko, around eight. He looked unusual without his scar; he looked like a young Ozai.

"Master Katara? You can leave- we have everything under control." The young official looked at her with wonder. He had probably never seen a water bender before.

"I can handle it. I have healing abilities." Katara said shortly. She wanted to explore the room a little then talk with Zuko. She couldn't do that with other people here.

"Ah, yes. Well, we'll leave you two alone." The official, with the others, scurried out of the room. Katara walked over to Zuko. He was breathing steadily and probably just needed some rest.

Katara walked around the room again. Apart from the bed, the fireplace and the mantelpiece, it was empty. The wallpaper was simple, a red colour with the fire nation logo on it. If this was where Zuko slept each night, Katara couldn't blame him for being troubled. She picked up the picture of the lady and examined it closely. They were in a garden, the woman looking down at Zuko's face with wonder, Zuko himself giggling and snuggling into his mother. Her face seemed familiar somehow; Katara had seen her somewhere before. She racked her brain, trying to remember where.

Behind her, Zuko groaned and rolled over. She rushed over to him, and, when she found he was okay, relaxed. What was she going to do now? She was very tired; the exhaustion of the day had caught up to her. But apart from the lonely bed the only other place to sleep was the floor.

Katara summed up the options and climbed on the bed, as far away from Zuko as she could get. Thank goodness he was asleep. No awkward questions. As she drifted more and more towards unconsciousness, she half thought, half dreamed about that woman and Zuko.

When Zuko woke up, he nearly fell out of bed in surprise. Next to him was the sleeping figure of Katara, peacefully snuggled into his chest. He looked down at her, confused. What was she doing? Why? Questions ran though his head, questions he didn't have answers to. Instead, he buried his head in her neck and, smelling her sweet hair, went back to sleep.

The next day Katara woke up when the sun shined in her face from a window. She rolled over, and, to her amazement, came face to face with Zuko, his golden eyes looking at her playfully. She shot up and began to edge away, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"I woke up earlier and you were all cuddled up to me." He said. She could hear the smile in his voice without even looking at him. "It was cute." He teased, and hugged her closer to him.

To Katara it felt right being in his arms. They fit together, like a special two-piece jigsaw meant only for them. She felt something that she had never felt with Aang. She wondered what it meant.

For his whole life, Zuko had had something missing. He had felt it all his life and it had never gone away. As happy as he was with Mai, she couldn't fill that hole. Nobody could. Or so he thought, but when he was with Katara, the hole was filled. Interesting...

Katara rolled over to face the window again. Somehow, this conversation was easier to have without having to look at him. She was about to say something when he got in first.

"So what's with you and the Avatar?" He asked with absolute sincerity.

"What? I don't know! Why are you asking this now?" The irony was funny. She was talking about the boy who loved her to bits while being held by his former enemy and now friend. "Well- I used to think I loved him. But then something changed. I don't know... He just wasn't right."

"Isn't he? He can protect you, can't he?" Zuko asked.

"What? Is this about protecting me? I can protect myself, thank you very much. I don't need anyone!"

"Oh." Zuko sounded pained. Katara sighed and turned over. He had his eyes shut and a small frown on his face.

"Zuko- I didn't mean it like that. I just meant- never mind. You know that picture of that woman over there?" She gestured toward the fireplace. Zuko froze and then rolled over.

"Yes." Came the muffled reply.

"Well this is going to sound crazy, but... I've seen her somewhere before. I don't know where-" Her sentence was cut off as Zuko rolled over, sat up and grabbed her shoulders, his eyes boring into hers.

"Where?" he hissed through clenched teeth. "Where did you see her?!"

"I-I don't know!" She said. She was obviously scared. He sighed. He tended to do that too much- scare people.

An attendant came to the door. Katara shot off the bed and over to the window, pretending to have been there the whole time.

"Master Katara- Avatar Aang has arrived. He was victorious. He took away Ozai's bending. But he was hurt. He needs you. Come." The attendant turned. Katara shot a glance toward Zuko and hurried out of the door. She paused.

"Zuko- I'm sorry. But he needs me."

"Go. Just go." He growled. He listened to the sound of receding footsteps and curled up. Never before had he thought his heart would hurt so much, not even when his mother left. He put it down to the wound but really he knew it wasn't that.


	3. Chapter 3

Katara hurried over to where Aang was lying in a similar bedroom. This one wasn't as grand, it had no fireplace. Just a double bed and a fire nation banner.

Aang wasn't hurt badly, just a few scrapes and bruises. He was also weak, from the lightning and everything else. He was awake and grinned at Katara when she came in. He didn't know what had happened between her and Zuko; he was never to know. It was just a silly little thing. Friends kiss, don't they? Especially after one friend had saved the other friends life... Of course they did.

Katara sighed and thought she may as well go the whole hog now. She had nothing to lose. She leaned down and pecked Aang lightly on the lips. "How are you?" She asked.

"Good I guess. Just tired." He grinned at her. She smiled a faint smile. She and Aang were meant to be, so why did she feel this way? She was very confused, and tired. She still wanted to sleep.

Aang yawned and she sighed again. "Aang, I think we should go." She couldn't stay around here, not with Zuko here. Too much temptation. "Maybe to Ba-Sing-Se? We could all live there, like a big happy family. I'll just go say goodbye to Zuko."

"Tell him I said hi, and that he'll be a great firelord." Aang said, nodding.

Katara walked down the hall and into Zuko's room. He had his back to her and was stroking the picture of Ursa with his fingers. She thought she saw a tear roll down his cheek but when she looked again it was gone.

"Zuko- I think it would be best if we left. With Aang and everything..." He jumped at the sound of her voice and turned around.

"Don't you want to stay for my coronation ceremony?" He asked, sounding hurt.

"Oh! I'm sorry, of course! I forgot all about it. When is it?" She said, sounding sheepish.

"Tomorrow. If I'm healed. Speaking of which, would you, um, like to heal me?" He felt very stupid. It was a silly thing to ask. He wouldn't be surprised if she said no, but instead she came over to him and pulled the water out of her canteen. Embarrassed, he took his shirt off and lay down. Healing was a very intimate thing and the fact he was sharing it with her was... strange.

She gently moved the water over his wound and then bandaged it up. He tried not to stare at her but he couldn't help it. It was like he was possessed, he thought. First the kiss, now this. But the funny thing was it seemed it was as if she was possessed too. And she liked it.

She sat down on the bed next to him and looked down at her hands. It was awkward, there was nothing to do or say. She didn't understand the feelings that were slowly pulling her carefully built world down.

Zuko was used to pain. He had accepted it long ago when it had seemed that he would live with pain his whole life. It was a usual, given thing. But the only time he felt relief was when this girl, the Avatar's waterbender, was in his arms. It was selfish, but he wanted her more often to come near him. Perhaps this was why he slid an arm around her back and gently cupped her chin with his hand. She looked up at him. She had been right; although she looked vulnerable, she certainly knew how to take care of herself. She was one of the youngest waterbending masters- she was only fourteen.

The two stared at each other. Then, slowly, they leaned in. Their lips touched for the briefest of moments, then came a shout from outside. Aang! He was yelling for Katara.

She stood up, yelled to him that she was coming. She faced Zuko, who stood too. She gently placed her hand on his scar, leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Don't forget. I'll be back, I promise you." She kissed his cheek, turned and ran out the door.

Zuko rubbed his scar. It was burning from her touch.


	4. Chapter 4

_2 years later_

Katara pressed her hands on the balcony rail. Inside, she could hear Uncle chatting to customers as he poured them tea. Toph and Aang laughed. Suki yelled at Sokka for something or rather.

This was the balcony. The very same balcony where, 2 years ago, she and Aang had kissed, and this time she had started it. The very same balcony where Zuko had stood 2 years ago, fuming. The very same balcony Aang had declared his love for her.

The very same balcony on which her heart had broken.

After the kiss, she and Aang had gone inside, holding hands. Zuko had said his formal goodbye. She and Aang had kissed some more, and the more they kissed, the more she got used to- even liked- his touch.

Aang had official avatar duties to attend to and most of the time he wasn't around. But when he was, he was always holding hands with her or had his arm around her. He was very possessive, yelling at her if she so much looked at another man.

Another year older, another year wiser, she thought drily. She was 16 now. She had grown to be tall; without shoes, she was around 5"11. She couldn't be bothered plaiting her hair everyday so mostly she let it loose. Her hair loopies were a part of her; she couldn't bring herself to chop them off.

Katara felt a grin stretch over her face when she thought of her 14 year old best friend, Toph. Toph had become the best earthbender around, and still participated in earthbending tournaments, even though now she had her black hair in a stylish ponytail, reddened her lips and cheeks and had long-ish nails. Her girly appearance fooled most. Underneath, she still was the tomboy she always was.

Aang laughed again, too loudly to be natural. He was trying to annoy her- and it was working. She felt angry and sad that she was left out of the loop. She looked back on the worst night of her life.

For the past few days, Aang had been sleeping on the same bed as her. She was never comfortable with the situation, but said nothing.

So the night Aang 'made moves' on her, and she rejected him for – and these were his words exactly – "no reason at all", he was very hurt. He yelled at her, and she nearly waterbended him into the floor. How could he be so blind that he couldn't see that all her feelings for him had been eradicated?! They slept in separate beds that night.

The next night, though, when Aang began his advances on her, she curtly said, "Enough. I've had enough of your nagging and yelling. It's over, Aang." So now, in revenge, Aang was flirting with Toph.

Katara squinted into the sunset. A messenger hawk flew towards her at top speed. Was that- was that Hawky?! Zuko, she realised. Sokka had given the messenger hawk to him as a parting gift from all of them.

Hawky flew obediently onto her arm. She stroked his feathers and pulled out the scroll of paper.

_Katara, _the note read.

_My father has escaped. He was metalbended out of his cell. To my knowledge, Toph Bei Fong is the only metalbender around. She may be detained for questioning._

_There was a note left behind. It was from my father, addressed to me. It said he was going to 'get' me through the person I loved most. I'm not sure what this means, but I think he thinks it's __you__, because underneath his sign off was, burned into the paper, your name and the Water Tribe symbol._

_I believe he is coming to find you because in his insane state he seems to think you and I have a relationship. At the moment of sending this note, I am on my way to Ba-Sing-Se on my ship. I am coming to protect you and Avatar Aang, as well as questioning Toph. I shall be here within the week._

_I look forward to seeing you._

_Fire Lord Zuko._

Katara's fingers trembled as she stroked the words; _I look forward to seeing you. _Why? What did he think of the accidental kiss- or rather, two kisses- when they both were but children? Did he read into it too much, thinking that she actually meant something? Of course she hadn't. Inwardly she cursed her teenage hormones.

She turned from the balcony and went inside, Hawky on her left arm and the note clutched in her right hand. Aang and Toph turned to her as she went inside.

"Ah, Katara. How are you?" Aang said in this haughty voice, as if he was better than her. Then, seeing Hawky, he grew serious. "Zuko?"

Katara nodded and held the note up to him. He took it and began scanning it quickly.

Sokka called for Hawky and began petting the bird, cooing to him like a baby. Suki laughed. Iroh put teacups down heavily in the kitchen. All of these noises were irritating- but Katara watched Aang's face closely. His expression changed to angry to worried to extremely pissed off.

He handed her the note and wordlessly walked away to heave himself onto the nearest couch.

Katara wandered off into her room. She had decorated it with water nation colours and it felt like home. Taking some water from a pot specially kept at the foot of her bed for this exact purpose, she began to twist the water in her hands. Once she had it as she wanted it, she froze it.

An exact replica of Zuko in her room. She admired the sculpture, but not even her beautiful element could capture the sparkle in Zuko's eyes. Sighing, she remelted the ice and moved it around. She felt like she was dancing with the water, which felt natural and soothing. Nothing like a bit of water to calm her down, she thought.

She retired to bed that night happy.

When she woke up, all she saw was the dark and ominous shadow of a person standing over her. Leaping to her feet, she pulled the water around her and shot the person against the wall before freezing them.

"Who... who are you?" She asked, her voice trembling. A stranger... in her room? She was a little bit unnerved, to say the least.

"Master Katara. What a friendly greeting. I thought you would be glad to see me!" The husky voice echoed through her ears, not registering everywhere. Somehow her mouth said, "Fire Lord Zuko", and she melted the ice and fell to her knees.

"None of that. Get up." He was very serious, she realised, as she straightened up and put the water back in the pot.

"How have you been?" She asked warily as she sat down on the bed. He leant against the wall and studied her before answering.

"Stupid question. I'm running the most destructive country in the world, my people want war and Mai hates me and will never talk to me again."

Katara made a sympathetic noise and asked why, not really paying attention. How he had grown! He had not traditionally grown his hair long as most fire lords had done, but left in its shaggy mess. She wanted to reach out and touch it, but she folded her arms so she couldn't. Something he said awakened her, though.

"... Apparently I was going on about some other girl. And if I wasn't talking about her I was thinking about her. Mai broke up with me." He didn't really care. Mai was like a robot, she had no feelings of her own. He was tired of her.

To him, Katara was the most beautiful thing he had seen. Her hair had gotten a little bit straighter, her eyes a little bluer and she was much taller. She looked elegant in new northern Water Tribe clothing.

He sat down beside her and touched her arm lightly. She looked at him, alarmed. She still looked young, he noticed. He had been paying attention whenever news about her came in. Her waterbending had gotten stronger and stronger. She could probably beat him in a fight now. She could have _always _beaten him in a fight. She beat Azula when Sozin's comet was upon them!

Taking her face in his hands, he leaned down and gently brushed his lips with hers. She tasted sweet and cool, just like he remembered. Only better.

She leapt up, angry and happy at the same time. She hadn't been truly happy since he had left. What an unusual greeting, she thought. Considering the terms they had left on. She had been almost certain he had seen the kiss between her and Aang.

"Out. It's the middle of the night." She pointed to the door. When he didn't move, she threatened him. "Don't make me waterbend the crap out of you!"

When he was gone she leant against the door and sighed. He had certainly changed.


	5. Chapter 5

When Katara got up she plaited her hair for the first time in a month. As she was doing so, she hummed quietly to herself. Zuko would like her hair better this way, she thought as she pinned her loopies back.

She froze and stared at her reflection in the mirror. What was she thinking? Zuko didn't care about her hair!

She walked out into the dining room in her bare feet. A few early morning customers were sipping tea, but apart from them and 'team avatar', the shop was empty. Katara sat next to Toph just as Iroh slipped her a steaming plate of bacon and eggs.

She began hungrily eating while all the time noticing Zuko's eyes flicking up and down her body. Couldn't he control them? Of course not, she thought. He's a guy. Katara sighed and briefly contemplated the thought of becoming a nun before dismissing it on its flimsy base.

Zuko began to speak. "So, as I was saying, Ozai is insane and, although he has no bending, powerful. He was metalbended out of his cell. Toph says..."

Zuko's words clicked in her brain. The note- she hadn't been focusing on that part. Toph had... Toph...

Katara pulled the tea from every pot in the room simultaneously and froze Toph to the wall. "How could you, Toph?" She said, her eyes streaming with tears.

"Hey! Unfreeze me! I can explain!"

Katara was hysterical now and in no mood for explaining. "You METALBENDED Ozai out of his cell?! What are you, insane?! We're all gonna die!"

"Katara-" Zuko began, but was cut off by Toph.

"You stupid cow! Why won't you listen to me?! It wasn't me-"

"How could you put us in this danger? How, Toph?" Katara sobbed.

"You little bitch!" Toph gasped. She was quickly losing her patience. "You're jumping to conclusions! Just give me a-"

"No! Go to hell!" Katara slammed out of the room, leaving the bewildered customers and her friends behind her.

She curled up on her bed. For a year, her life had been good. Aang had been nice, the perfect boyfriend, bringing her flowers and smiling whenever she came into the room. Then it had started. He had began forcing himself on her and when she refused he came out with claims that she didn't love him and if she did she'd let him.

She loved him, alright, but not enough to let him have sex with her. It was like kissing your brother- wrong.

Then she had broken it off. The last week had been horrible, Aang calling her everything from a frigid cow to fat to ugly to much worse. She had cried herself to sleep every night.

Someone knocked at her door and then let themselves in. It was Sokka. He came and sat next to her on the bed. She buried her face in the pillow.

"Katara, you should listen to what Toph has to say. She didn't do it."

"Oh, really? Yeah, there's another thousand metalbenders out there. Let's line them up and count them off, shall we?" Katara quipped into her pillow.

"Listen! Remember when Azula, Mai and Ty Lee were chasing us in that machine? And how Toph stormed off? She met someone. A woman named Chun approached her and insisted Toph teach her metalbending. So she did."

"You- you mean that's it? Toph didn't do it?"

"Nope. Now come and say sorry."

"Oh, no. What have I done?" Katara murmured as Sokka left. She had probably destroyed her relationship with her best friend.

She heaved herself off the bed and walked, head hanging, into the dining room. Zuko and Aang were trying to melt the ice without burning Toph. Katara sighed.

"Here, let me." She gently freed the water from Toph and went to put it back in the pots when suddenly she found herself against the wall, a mountain of rock between her and the ground.

"How do you like it, sugar queen?" Toph snarled.

Instead of fighting back or making a fuss, Katara hung her head. "I'm sorry Toph. I jumped to conclusions."

"Hell yeah, you did." But Toph released the rock and Katara came tumbling down, landing at Toph's feet.

"I'm sorry, Toph. I really am."

"Oh, yeah? Tell it to your _boyfriend_." Toph curled her lip in a sneer and stalked to her room.

She didn't know what she meant by that last comment. She could feel the obvious chemistry between Zuko and Katara, and she knew Aang was picking up on it, too.

Maybe she was jealous. She had heard Katara crying every night for a week two weeks ago. Then she and Aang had broken up. She could only guess about what that was caused by, but she knew it wasn't good. And now Aang was flirting with her, taking advantage of her.

Katara, too, was confused. As she picked herself up from the floor, a hand appeared beside her to help her up. It was Zuko's.

She took it as he pulled her up, staring into her eyes all the while. She thought she saw a twinkle of amusement there, but she couldn't be sure. She pulled her hand out from his and turned to Aang.

Katara detested talking to him, but nearly two years travelling with him had taken its toll. It felt like she was speaking to an old friend.

"What are you going to do?" She asked politely.

"Because the note said he was after you, I'll go to the water tribes. Then I'll come back."

She nodded. "When will you leave?"

"Now. We can't waste any time." He turned to Zuko. "Are you staying?" He said, forcing the words out through stiff lips.

Zuko nodded. "I will stay here, if I am welcome. The Fire Nation is well at the moment and they are adjusting to my rule."

Aang stiffened and nodded slightly. Without him around, who would supervise Katara and Zuko? He didn't know, but he put the safety of the world before the petty relationship with his ex.

Katara, Toph, Iroh, Sokka and Zuko waved Aang and Appa off. When he was gone, Katara breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wasn't around to be looking over her shoulder every second.


	6. Chapter 6

A day passed lazily. Katara practiced her waterbending, and didn't do much else. They had steak for dinner and Katara found she wasn't hungry. She excused herself and went to her room. She just wanted to relax and maybe read a book, but instead she began to think of a song she had heard Iroh humming yesterday. When she had heard him, she got him to teach her the words. It was rather different to the songs he usually sang, and he had admitted he had heard Azula singing it and he had picked up on it. She began singing it now.

"I'm gonna fight em off.

A seven nation army couldn't hold me back.

They're gonna rip it off.

Takin their time right behind my-" Katara didn't finish as someone entered her room behind her.

She leapt up and spun around, eyes blazing angrily. Zuko stood with his foot to the wall, an eyebrow raised.

"What's with you sneaking up on me?" She demanded.

"Who, me?" Zuko grinned. His scar creased up and Katara melted. She sighed and walked over to stand next to him on the wall.

"Yes, you. What's wrong?"

Zuko noticed the change in her voice and smiled inwardly. "Why do you think something's wrong whenever I see you? I just want what's best for you."

Katara's eyes filled with tears of hurt. Zuko took a step back. "Woah, Katara, what's wrong?"

"Aang used to say that, when he was… when he…" Katara was sobbing so hard she could barely breathe, when all of a sudden she found her cheek pressed against Zuko's warm top, his hand stroking her head. It was comforting, but she couldn't stop crying.

"Katara, shh. It's okay; I'm not going to hurt you." Katara began really sobbing hysterically now. She felt as if she was trapped.

Toph ran into the room, and with one hand, backhanded Zuko into the wall. She took his place, except she put her hand on Katara's shoulders and shook her. "Shut up! You're scaring the customers away!"

Katara took a shaky breath and stood up, tears still flowing. "Y-yes. I-I'm okay n-now, I think-k."

nodded. "You better be." Katara nodded back and walked away, presumably to the bathroom.

Zuko picked himself off the floor and dusted himself down. "Toph-" he began.

Toph, even though angry at Katara, was also fiercely protective of her. She embedded Zuko in rock up to his chin. "What did you do to her?" She hissed.

"Nothing! I came in, and I said something and she just started crying. Honestly, nothing."

"Do you know what she's been through? Do you?" Toph had climbed like a monkey up the mountain of rock and now she shoved her face in Zuko's.

He shook his head. "No. I haven't heard from her in two years."

Toph's eyes widened. He didn't know? Well, Aang wouldn't have told anyone. She only knew because she had heard it.

She released the rock and sat down on the ground. She put her head between her hands.

"Aang tried… He tried to get Katara in bed with him. She refused, so he called her names. They were really, really horrible things to say. They didn't actually…" She let her voice trail off, before she gulped and continued. "They didn't actually do anything, but he verbally abused Katara for a week before she broke it off."

Zuko sat next to Toph. His head was spinning. His loyal friend, the avatar? No. It couldn't be possible.

"What, you think I'm lying, don't you?" Toph's tone was accusatory.

He didn't answer that. "What did he call her?"

"Frigid. Fat. Ugly. Stupid cow. Worse, much worse." She spat the words out like bullets.

"When was this?" Zuko asked.

"Two weeks ago."

"The summit! That's why." Zuko exclaimed. Toph looked at him, her green eyes unblinking.

"Sorry. But I know Aang and I know he just wouldn't call Katara that for no reason, or just because she refused to sleep with him.

"There was a summit, a meeting of the four nation's leaders, about two weeks ago. I was there, the Earth King was there, the leaders of the North and South water tribes were there, and I asked Aang to step in for the air nomads. He also was there as the avatar, and had to perform a very strenuous opening ceremony. It required lots of rehearsal beforehand, and even I was stressed about it. So imagine the pressure Aang was under…"

Toph leapt to her feet. "That's it! I thought he wouldn't normally be such an idiot! You solved the puzzle."

Zuko nodded. "Yes, but look what it's done to Katara. Her self esteem is lower than I've ever seen it, and she won't let herself trust another man." _Mainly, me_. He thought.

"You love her, don't you." Toph's voice was soft.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Zuko asked.

"No. It's a statement." Toph rolled her eyes.

"Yes. I do. But she holds no feelings towards me, as you have just witnessed."

Toph laughed. "You're so naïve. But then, I guess everyone isn't blind like I am. Her heartbeat starts going crazy whenever you walk into the room. She starts breathing faster. She shifts her position slightly to focus on you."

This time it was Zuko's time to laugh. "You sound serious. But maybe she just has a crush on me. She doesn't love me, we've been away from each other for too long."

"Ever heard the saying, 'distance makes the heart grow fonder'? Well, in this case it's true."

"You… you think I actually have a chance with her?" Zuko asked tentatively.

"You've had a chance ever since you met her. Go get her!" Toph cried.

Zuko stood up. He had made up his mind. Some small part of his brain said _I told you so. She gives you something that Mai can't._ He strode down the hall and into his room. He began to pace, thinking about his options.

Meanwhile, Katara was sitting in the garden. She played with the water, shaping it into animals and making them move- a Hog-monkey, a platypus bear, and even the earth king's bear.

She sensed rather than heard him come up behind her. She let the water drop onto the ground, and stood and turned.

He stood there, in all his fire nation glory. She wanted to run to him and kiss him for all her worth, but she stood still and forced her hands down to her sides. She remembered the last time she had trusted anyone with her feelings, and what had happened as a result.

Zuko sat on the bench and patted the other end of it. What had Toph told him that made him so wary?

"Katara, I'm so sorry. I didn't know what Aang… what he did. But what I do know is that he didn't mean it."

Katara sat down heavily. "Yes, he did. Why would he say it otherwise?"

"You don't know this, but there was a big meeting, of all the leaders. I foolishly asked Aang to represent the air nomads as well as being the avatar. I didn't know he'd get so stressed."

"You mean… he didn't… you… he…" Katara had never felt such sorrow in her whole life. But she knew what she had to say, and she forced the words out.

"Aang hurt me in more ways then one. I didn't really believe I was fat or ugly, but maybe he had a reason for saying those things. Maybe I was doing something wrong, acting wrong. I had never done that whole dating thing before, so maybe I was doing everything wrong. I had no idea.

"But then, the last night, he didn't say any put downs… but he just said that he didn't know why we had got together in the first place. He knew, from the way I walked and talked, that I just didn't love him.

"And he was right. I just didn't know it at the time. So I broke it off, thinking he was talking nonsense. That night I thought about who I supposedly 'loved'. And the only person who came to me, in my mind, was you.

"I thought it was stupid, since we barely knew each other, but then I remembered all those times together… fighting at the north pole, in the crystal catacombs, and when Azula attacked me… You judged my own life, my existence, more important then yours. I knew that if you had died, I would've died as well. Not exactly ended my life, but I certainly wouldn't have lived my life to the fullest.

"All of these factors seem to represent love. So I'm guessing what I'm trying to say is… I love you, Zuko. I don't know why we were thrown together, but whatever the reason is, I like it."

Katara scooted over to Zuko and began kissing him, fiercely. Zuko was so startled, he did nothing but sit there for a few moments, but then he began kissing her back. Katara laced her fingers through his hair and gripped it, so he couldn't pull away. She moved so she was sitting in his lap.

Zuko put both hands on the side of her face and gently pulled away. "You know what, Katara? I love you too." He kissed her, scooped her up in his arms and, without breaking the kiss, led her inside.

Toph came barrelling towards him. "Where's Kat- oh." She sensed the extra weight Zuko was carrying and laughed. "You got her! Well done!" She moved out of the way so the two lovebirds could pass. She was happy for her friend that she had found true love.


End file.
